We present a therapeutic intervention model for use with psychosomatic families. This method, the result of our extensive research on various psychosomatic disorders, uses family sculptures of the "present" and "future": each family member is requested to represent the family as it now "is," and how it "will be" in the future. We discuss the theoretical reasons for our choice of this method: (a) the opportunity to use a therapeutic language that is similar to the nonverbal language of the psychosomatic symptom, and (b) the usefulness of reinserting temporal dimensions into family systems that seem to have lost their evolutionary potential and to be in a sort of "time lock." Two clinical cases are discussed (a child with chronic asthma and an anorexic adolescent); the use of sculptures in both cases revealed the underlying problems and made positive therapeutic interventions possible. Finally, we point out how the use of sculpture as a therapeutic technique enables therapists to deal with multiple systemic levels.
This research project tries to test a therapeutic strategy that could improve the prognosis of anorexic and bulimic syndrome, by reducing their tendency to chronicity. The hypothesis is that, whenever we deal with complex, multifactoral syndromes, such as anorexia and bulimia, a therapy based upon the association of different kinds of treatments (medical-biological-nutritional treatments plus family therapy) helps to obtain better results than one type of treatment only (medical-biological-nutritional alone). The selection of the samples (experimental and control samples), the materials and methods of the research project, and the follow-up series are described.
Les auteurs présentent une recherche destinée à vérifier l'utilité d'un traitement intégré, multidisciplinaire et orienté dans une perspective systémique, pour l'amélioration de la symptomatologie et dans la prévention de la chronicité de l'asthme infantile. Vingt enfants souffrant d'asthme bronchial ont été divisés en deux groupes : un groupe expérimental qui a reçu un traitement pharmacologique et une psychothérapie familiale, et un groupe contrôle qui a bénéficié uniquement d'une thérapie pharmacologique. L'évaluation de l'efficacité des différentes interventions a été établie tant sur base des paramètres cliniques que relationnels. Les résultats montrent que les patients du groupe expérimental présentent une amélioration clinique (réduction des crises asthmatiques et de la thérapie pharmacologique) nettement supérieure à celle du groupe contrôle. L'étude de validité statistique confirme la signification des résultats.
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